The day now arrived which Ellis reluctantly, yet firmly, destined for
her new and hazardous essay. Resolute in her plan, she felt the extreme
importance of attaining courage and calmness for its execution. She shut
herself up in her apartment, and gave the most positive injunctions to
the milliners, that no one should be admitted. The looks of Harleigh, as
he had quitted her room, had told her that this precaution would not be
superfluous, and, accordingly, he came; but was refused entrance: he
wrote; but his letters were returned unread. His efforts to break,
served but to fix her purpose: she saw the expectations that he would
feed from any concession; and potent as had hitherto been her objection
to the scheme, they all subsided, in preference to exciting, or
passively permitting, any doubts of the steadiness of her rejection.
Still, however, she could not practise: her voice and her fingers were
infected by the agitation of her mind, and she could neither sing nor
play. She could only hope that, at the moment of performance, the
positive necessity of exertion, would bring with it, as so often is its
effect, the powers which it requires.
The tardiness of her resolution caused, however, such an accumulation of
business, not only for her thoughts, but for her time, from the
indispensable arrangements of her attire, that scarcely a moment
remained either for the relief or the anxieties of rumination. She set
off, therefore, with tolerable though forced composure, for the rooms,
in the carriage of Miss Arbe; that lady, once again, chusing to assume
the character of her patroness, since as such she could claim the merit
of introducing her to the public, through an obligation to her own new
favourite, M Vinstreigle.
Upon stopping at the hotel, in which the concert was to be held, a
strange figure, with something foreign in his appearance, twice crossed
before the chariot, with a menacing air, as if purposing to impede her
passage. Easily startled, she feared descending from the carriage; when
Harleigh, who was watching, though dreading her arrival, came in sight,
and offered her his hand. She declined it; but, seeing the intruder
retreat abruptly, into the surrounding crowd of spectators, she alighted
and entered the hotel.
Pained, at once, and charmed by the striking elegance of her appearance,
and the air of gentle dignity which shewed such attire to be familiar to
her, Harleigh felt irresistibly attracted to follow her, and once more
plead his cause. 'Hear, hear me!' he cried, in a low, but touching
voice: 'One moment hear me, I supplicate, I conjure you! still it is not
too late to avert this blow! Indisposition cannot be disputed, or, if
doubted, of what moment would be the suspicion, if once, generously,
trustingly, you relinquish this cruel plan?'
He spoke in a whisper, yet with an impetuosity that alarmed, as much as
his distress affected her; but, when she turned towards him, to call
upon his forbearance, she perceived immediately at his side, the person
who had already disconcerted her. She drew hastily back, and he brushed
quickly past, looking round, nevertheless, and evidently and anxiously
marking her. Startled, uneasy, she involuntarily stopt; but was relieved
by the approach of one of the door-keepers, to the person in question;
who haughtily flung at him a ticket, and was passing on; but who was
told that he could not enter the concert-room in a slouched hat.
A sort of attendant, or humble friend, who accompanied him, then said,
in broken English, that the poor gentleman only came to divert himself,
by seeing the company, and would disturb nobody, for he was deaf and
dumb, and very inoffensive.
Re-assured by this account, Ellis again advanced, and was met by Mr
Vinstreigle; who had given instructions to be called upon her arrival,
and who, now, telling her that it was late, and that the concert was
immediately to be opened, handed her to the orchestra. She insisted upon
seating herself behind a violencello-player, and as much out of sight as
possible, till necessity must, of course, bring her forward.
From her dislike to being seen, her eyes seemed rivetted upon the
music-paper which she held in her hand, but of which, far from studying
the characters, she could not read a note. She received, with silent
civility, the compliments of M Vinstreigle; and those of his band, who
could approach her; but her calmness, and what she had thought her
determined courage, had been so shaken by personal alarm, and by the
agitated supplications of Harleigh, that she could recover them no more.
His desponding look, when he found her inexorable, pursued her; and the
foreign clothing, and foreign servant, of the man who, though deaf and
dumb, had so marked and fixt her, rested upon her imagination, with a
thousand vague fears and conjectures.
In this shattered state of nerves, the sound of many instruments, loud
however harmonious, so immediately close to her ears, made her start, as
if electrified, when the full band struck up the overture, and
involuntarily raise her eyes. The strong lights dazzled them; yet
prevented her not from perceiving, that the deaf and dumb man had
planted himself exactly opposite to the place, which, by the disposition
of the harp, was evidently prepared for her reception. Her alarm
augmented: was he watching her from mere common curiosity? or had he any
latent motive, or purpose? His dress and figure were equally remarkable.
He was wrapt in a large scarlet coat, which hung loosely over his
shoulders, and was open at the breast, to display a brilliant waistcoat
of coloured and spangled embroidery. He had a small, but slouched hat,
which he had refused to take off, that covered his forehead and
eye-brows, and shaded his eyes; and a cravat of enormous bulk encircled
his chin, and enveloped not alone his ears, but his mouth. Nothing was
visible but his nose, which was singularly long and pointed. The whole
of his habiliment seemed of foreign manufacture; but his air had
something in it that was wild, and uncouth; and his head was continually
in motion.
To the trembling Ellis, it now seemed but a moment before she was
summoned to her place, though four pieces were first performed. M
Vinstreigle would have handed her down the steps; she declined his aid,
hoping to pass less observed alone; but the moment that she rose, and
became visible, a violent clapping was begun by Sir Lyell Sycamore, and
seconded by every man present.
What is new, of almost any description, is sure to be well received by
the public; but when novelty is united with peculiar attractions,
admiration becomes enthusiasm, and applause is nearly clamour. Such,
upon the beholders, was the effect produced by the beauty, the youth,
the elegance, and the timidity of Ellis. Even her attire, which, from
the bright pink sarsenet, purchased by Miss Arbe, she had changed into
plain white satin, with ornaments of which the simplicity shewed as much
taste as modesty, contributed to the interest which she inspired. It
was suited to the style of her beauty, which was Grecian; and it seemed
equally to assimilate with the character of her mind, to those who,
judging it from the fine expression of her countenance, conceived it to
be pure and noble. The assembly appeared with one opinion to admire her,
and with one wish to give her encouragement.
But, unused to being an object of tumultuous delight, the effect
produced by such transports was the reverse of their intention; and
Ellis, ashamed, embarrassed, confused, lost the recollection, that
custom demanded that she should postpone her acknowledgements till she
arrived at her post. She stopt; but in raising her eyes, as she
attempted to courtesy, she was struck with the sight of her deaf and
dumb tormentor; who, in agitated watchfulness, was standing up to see
her descend; and whose face, from the full light to which he was
exposed, she now saw to be masked; while she discerned in his hand, the
glitter of steel. An horrible surmise occurred, that it was Elinor
disguised, and Elinor come to perpetrate the bloody deed of suicide.
Agonized with terror at the idea, she would have uttered a cry; but,
shaken and dismayed, her voice refused to obey her; her eyes became dim;
her tottering feet would no longer support her; her complexion wore the
pallid hue of death, and she sunk motionless on the floor.
In an instant, all admiring acclamation subsided into tender pity, and
not a sound was heard in the assembly; while in the orchestra all was
commotion; for Harleigh no sooner saw the fall, and that the whole band
was in movement, to offer aid, than, springing from his place, he
overcame every obstacle, to force a passage to the spot where the pale
Ellis was lying. There, with an air of command, that seemed the
offspring of rightful authority, he charged every one to stand back, and
give her air; desired M Vinstreigle to summon some female to her aid;
and, snatching from him a phial of salts, which he was attempting to
administer, was greatly bending down with them himself, when he
perceived that she was already reviving: but the instant that he had
raised her, what was his consternation and horror, to hear a voice, from
the assembly, call out:
'Turn, Harleigh, turn! and see thy willing martyr!--Behold, perfidious
Ellis! behold thy victim!'
Instantly, though with agony, he quitted the sinking Ellis to dart
forward.
The large wrapping coat, the half mask, the slouched hat, and
embroidered waistcoat, had rapidly been thrown aside, and Elinor
appeared in deep mourning; her long hair, wholly unornamented, hanging
loosely down her shoulders. Her complexion was wan, her eyes were fierce
rather than bright, and her hair was wild and menacing.
'Oh Harleigh!--adored Harleigh!--' she cried, as he flew to catch her
desperate hand;--but he was not in time; for, in uttering his name, she
plunged a dagger into her breast.
The blood gushed out in torrents, while, with a smile of triumph, and
eyes of idolizing love, she dropt into his arms, and clinging round him,
feebly articulated, 'Here let me end!--accept the oblation--the just
tribute--of these dear, delicious, last moments!'
Almost petrified with horrour, he could with difficulty support either
her or himself; yet his presence of mind was sooner useful than that of
any on the company; the ladies of which were hiding their faces, or
running away; and the men, though all eagerly crowding to the spot of
this tremendous event, approaching rather as spectators of some public
exhibition, than as actors in a scene of humanity. Harleigh called upon
them to fly instantly for a surgeon; demanded an arm-chair for the
bleeding Elinor, and earnestly charged some of the ladies to come to her
aid.
Selina, who had made one continued scream resound through the apartment,
from the moment that her sister discovered herself, rapidly obeyed the
summons, with Ireton, who, being unable to detain, accompanied her. Mrs
Maple, thunderstruck by the apparition of her niece, scandalized by her
disguise, and wholly unsuspicious of her purpose, though sure of some
extravagance, had pretended sudden indisposition, to escape the shame of
witnessing her disgrace; but ere she could get away, the wound was
inflicted, and the public voice, which alone she valued, forced her to
return.
A surgeon of eminence, who was accidentally in the assembly, desired the
company to make way; declaring no removal to be practicable, till he
should have stopt the effusion of blood.
The concert was immediately broken up; the assembly, though curious and
unwilling, dispersed; and the apparatus for dressing the wound, was
speedily at hand:--but to no purpose. Elinor would not suffer the
approach of the surgeon; would not hear of any operation, or
examination; would not receive any assistance. Looks of fiery disdain
were the only answers that she bestowed to the pleadings of Mrs Maple,
the shrieks of Selina, the remonstrances of the surgeon, and the
entreaties of every other. Even to the supplications of Harleigh she
was immovable; though still she fondly clung to him, uttering from time
to time, 'Long--long wished for moment! welcome, thrice welcome to my
wearied soul!'
The shock of Harleigh was unspeakable, and it was aggravated by almost
indignant exhortations, ejaculated from nearly every person present,
that he would snatch the self-devoted enthusiast from this untimely end,
by returning her heroic tenderness.
Mrs Maple was now covered with shame, from apprehension that this
conduct might be imputed either to any precepts or any neglect of her
own.
'My poor niece is quite light-headed, Mr Harleigh,' she cried, 'and
knows not what she says.'
Fury started into the eyes of Elinor as she caught these words, and
neither prayers nor supplications could silence or quiet her. 'No, Mrs
Maple, no!' she cried, 'I am not light-headed! I never so perfectly knew
what I said, for I never so perfectly spoke what I thought. Is it not
time, even yet, to have done with the puerile trammels of
prejudice?--Yes! I here cast them to the winds! And, in the dauntless
hour of willing death, I proclaim my sovereign contempt of the whole
race of mankind! of its cowardly subterfuges, its mean assimilations,
its heartless subtleties! Here, in the sublime act of voluntary
self-extinction, I exult to declare my adoration of thee,--of thee
alone, Albert Harleigh! of thee and of thy haughty,--matchless virtues!'
Gasping for breath, she leant, half motionless, yet smiling, and with
looks of transport, upon the shoulder of Harleigh; who, ashamed, in the
midst of his concern, at his own situation, thus publicly avowed as the
object of this desperate act; earnestly wished to retreat from the
gazers and remarkers, with whom he shared the notice and the wonder
excited by Elinor. But her danger was too eminent, and the scene was too
critical, to suffer self to predominate. Gently, therefore, and with
tenderness, he continued to support her; carefully forbearing either to
irritate her enthusiasm, or to excite her spirit of controversy, by
uttering, at such a crisis, the exhortations to which his mind and his
principles pointed: or even to soothe her feeling too tenderly, lest
misrepresentation should be mischievous, either with herself or with
others.
The surgeon declared that, if the wound were not dressed without delay,
no human efforts could save her life.
'My life? save my life?' cried Elinor, reviving from indignation: 'Do
you believe me so ignoble, as to come hither to display the ensigns of
death, but as scare crows, to frighten lookers on to court me to life?
No! for what should I live? To see the hand of scorn point at me? No,
no, no! I come to die: I bleed to die; and now, even now, I talk to die!
to die--Oh Albert Harleigh! for thee:--Dost thou sigh, Harleigh?--Do I
hear thee sigh?--Oh Harleigh! generous Harleigh!--for me is it thou
sighest?--'
Deeply oppressed, 'Elinor,' he answered, 'you make me indeed wretched!'
'Ebb out, then, oh life!' cried she, 'in this extatic moment! Harleigh
no longer is utterly insensible!--Well have I followed my heart's
beating impulse!--Harleigh! Oh noble Harleigh!--'
Spent by speech and loss of blood, she fainted.
Harleigh eagerly whispered Mrs Maple, to desire that the surgeon would
snatch this opportunity for examining, and, if possible, dressing the
wound.
This, accordingly, was done, all who were not of some use, retiring.
Harleigh himself, deeply interested in the event, only retreated to a
distant corner; held back by discretion, honour, and delicacy, from
approaching the spot to which his wishes tended.
The surgeon pronounced, that the wound was not in its nature mortal;
though the exertions and emotions which had succeeded it, gave it a
character of danger, that demanded the extremest attention, and most
perfect tranquillity.
The satisfaction with which Harleigh heard the first part of this
sentence, though it could not be counter-balanced, was cruelly checked by
its conclusion. He severely felt the part that he seemed called upon to
act; and had a consciousness, that was dreadful to himself, of his
powers, if upon her tranquillity alone depended her preservation.
She soon recovered from her fainting fit; though she was too much
weakened and exhausted, both in body and spirits, to be as soon restored
to her native energies. The moment, therefore, seemed favourable for her
removal: but whither? Lewes was too distant; Mrs Maple, therefore, was
obliged to apply for a lodging in the hotel; to which, with the
assiduous aid of Harleigh, Elinor, after innumerable difficulties, and
nearly by force, was conveyed.
The last to quit the apartment in which this bloody scene had been
performed, was Ellis; who felt restored by fright for another, to the
strength of which she had been robbed by affright for herself. Her
sufferings, indeed, for Elinor, her grief, her horrour, had set self
wholly aside, and made her forget all by which, but the moment before,
she had been completely absorbed. She durst not approach, yet could not
endure to retreat. She remained alone in the orchestra, from which all
the band had been dismissed. She looked not once at Harleigh; nor did
Harleigh once dare turn her way. In the shock of this scene, she thought
it would be her duty to see him no more; for though she was unassailed
by remorse, since unimpeached by self-reproach--for when had she
wilfully, or even negligently, excited jealousy?--still she could not
escape the inexpressible shock, of knowing herself the cause, though
not, like Harleigh, the object of this dreadful deed.
When Elinor, however, was gone, she desired to hurry to her lodgings.
Miss Arbe had forgotten, or neglected her, and she had no carriage
ordered. But the terrific magnitude of the recent event, divested minor
difficulties of their usual powers of giving disturbance. 'Tis only when
we are spared great calamities, that we are deeply affected by small
circumstances. The pressing around her, whether of avowed, or discreet
admirers; the buzz of mingled compliments, propositions, interrogtories
or entreaties; which, at another time, would have embarrassed and
distressed her, now scarcely reached her ears, and found no place in her
attention; and she quietly applied for a maid-servant of the hotel;
leaning upon whose arm she reached, sad, shaken, and agitated, the house
of Miss Matson.
Before she would even attempt to go to rest, she sent a note of enquiry
to Mr Naird, the surgeon, whom she had seen at Mrs Maple's: his answer
was consonant to what he had already pronounced to Harleigh.